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It's been a period, but Liverpool's forward returned playing the starring role in recent days with two goals in Casablanca that confirmed Egypt's place at the global tournament. The key player claiming the spotlight once more. Liverpool must have him to keep that position.

Reasons for Variable Performances

There are several causes why inconsistent, lackluster performances have been the frequent pattern defining Liverpool's beginning to their championship defense, whether they recorded a winning streak or, prior to Manchester United's trip to Liverpool's home ground on the weekend, a losing run. The upheaval from so many summer changes, Arne Slot's hunt for his ideal lineup, the late forward's passing; the winger has felt the consequences of them all during his atypically subdued opening to the season.

The Weekend's Showpiece Occasion

Sunday's key fixture could offer the catalyst for the origin of a record 16 goals in 17 outings for Liverpool against Manchester United, who are making their centenary trip to the stadium and have not succeeded at their fierce rivals for over nine years. The attacker will pose the manager with another unexpected problem, though, if he remain caught in the disruption for an extended period.

Latest Form

The team's head coach likely recognized the contrast of the player's initial score against the opponent in midweek. Struck immediately with the outside of his left foot into the front post, his eighth goal of the national team's qualifying effort came from an almost identical spot to his costly miss in the Chelsea match before the international break.

Had that shot with his right been finished shortly after the restart at Chelsea's ground we would even now be praising Florian Wirtz's maiden superb assist in the English top flight. Discussions into his dip and Liverpool's infrequent losing run might also have been delayed. Rather, Wirtz's search continues while Slot fumes over a third away defeat, two inflicted by late goals and another the outcome of a debatable penalty. Narrow differences, as Slot emphasized on recently, but they do not mask underlying concerns.

Previous Campaign's Impact

Salah was crucial in pushing the side towards a tying 20th league title last season while speculation over his long-term plans lingered in the background. “We brought almost the maximum out of Salah this season,” said Slot when his leading striker signed a fresh deal in the spring. There has been a noticeable decline on an personal and collective level since. The team, not the details of a contract, are to blame.

Statistical Decrease

The 33-year-old's contribution in terms of scores and setups is reduced half on the same point last season, from a combined eight in the first seven fixtures of 2024-25 to four (two goals and two assists) the current campaign. His tally of attempts has fallen from twenty-two to 12 while shots on target have dropped from 15 to five, leading to a sharp fall in shooting accuracy (not counting blocks) from 78.9% to 55.6%, data show.

A particular skill that has remained consistent is his chance creation. With twelve key passes, compared with 14 at the equivalent point of last campaign, his numbers remain among the finest in Europe and comparable in the company of young talents and Arda Güler, his younger counterparts by 15 and 13 years each.

Collective Output

Measures of team performance will trouble Slot more. Salah had seventy-six contacts in the opposition penalty area in the first seven matches of the prior campaign. This term's total is thirty-nine. The numbers are indicative of the squad's issues overall. Only United and the Gunners have taken more attempts on goal than Liverpool this season, but Liverpool's percentage of shots from within the six-yard area is the poorest in the division, their share from long range among the top. Liverpool's proportion of efforts on goal – 28.4 percent – is as well among the lowest in the competition.

“In the first half of the previous campaign we mainly found the net from a moment of magic from an attacker and in the second half it was mostly from a free-kick or corner,” Slot said. “Currently we haven’t had as numerous moments of genius and we haven’t scored from set pieces. But we are still the team that from general play creates the highest quality opportunities.”

Summer Arrivals

They aren't hurting rivals in the fashion the coach envisaged when Wirtz, Hugo Ekitiké and the Swedish striker were signed this summer, although Liverpool stay the division's equal third-top scorers. A draw on the weekend would be sufficient for Slot to attain the 100-point total in less games than any boss in Liverpool's past (46). Imagine what his forward line will do when it does settle. Liverpool remain a squad of outstanding skill, able to sparking and reeling in any opponent for the championship, but cohesion is absent. That cannot be blamed on the recent arrivals only.

Individual and Team Problems

Salah is not the sole key player to experience a decline, with Alexis Mac Allister working his way back to fitness and the defender toiling. But he ends up at the center of the turmoil that has lately enveloped Liverpool. That extends to a individual level, with his grief over the death of Jota clear on that poignant first game against the Cherries. The influence of Jota's death can neither be assessed nor overlooked.

Tactical Adjustments

In the prior campaign, he